Madeline Rolley shared these photos of her father's trip with the Central Missouri Honor Flight.

The group's website says that Central Missouri Honor Flight is a nonprofit organization dedicated to transporting veterans to Washington D.C., "to visit and reflect at their memorials at no cost to them." Since 2009, more than 1,000 veterans have made the journey.

MoreStory

Related Media

More than 900 people waited outside the Courtyard by Marriott hotel early Wednesday morning for the return of 64 veterans who traveled to Washington, D.C., on an Honor Flight.

Community members welcome the 87 veterans returning home from the Central Missouri Honor Flight. The veterans were scheduled to arrive at 11:30 p.m. Tuesday, but there was an hour delay. The crowd cheered and applauded when the veterans' bus was in sight.

Staff Sgt. James Shipley is escorted through the cheering crowd Wednesday at 12:50 a.m. One volunteer shouted that it was Shipley's birthday, and the crowd began to sing. Shipley was escorted by two community members and Honor Flight volunteer Doc Kritzer, at right.

Click to watch a slideshow of the veterans' Honor Flight to Washington, D.C.

The Central Missouri Honor Flight welcome home party took place at the Courtyard Marriott hotel early Wednesday morning. About 70 World War II, Korea and Vietnam veterans took part in the flight to Washington to visit the nation's war memorials.

Veterans are welcomed home after their Central Missouri Honor Flight to Washington, D.C.

Army veteran Walter Rolley Jr., shown in Washington D.C.

Central Missouri Honor Flight is in its fifth year. The group has made 23 flights to Washington, D.C., carrying nearly 1,300 veterans to visit the memorials to their service and sacrifice.

World War II veterans Harry Hall, left, and Ross Swofford talk about the Honor Flight at the welcome home party early Wednesday morning. Hall, a Navy veteran, and Swofford, an Army veteran, happened to meet up at the party after not seeing each other for nearly 60 years. In 1955, Hall was the high school principal in Palmyra, and Swofford was a teacher.

Darryl Isgriggs waves the U.S. flag taken from his father's house as the Honor Flight procession nears the Courtyard Marriott hotel early Wednesday morning. Isgriggs and his father both served in the Army.

“I was amazed to see all those people there that late at night,” says Walter Rolley Jr., (an) Army vet who served in the 92nd Infantry Division, an all-black outfit in Italy. His job was to transport ammunition to the front lines. “I was lucky enough to get there and back,” he says modestly.

Walter Rolley Jr., who served in World War II, was accompanied on the May 8 flight by longtime friend Jerry Dethrow. Madeline Rolley said her father and Dethrow have been friends since the days of segregation, when Dethrow worked at Booche's and her father, who was working two jobs, used to pick up his lunch and then leave the restaurant.

"On this particular day Dad was tired, and he asked him if he could sit down 'cause he was awful tired. Jerry said yes, and he didn't know that black people wasn't allowed to come in a white establishment." Their friendship grew from there.

This story is part of a section of the Missourian called From Readers, which is dedicated to your voices and your stories. We hope you'll consider sharing. Here's how. Supervising editor is Joy Mayer.